The Press., 1887-02-17
MARTYRS TO DUTY.

The crowd that gathered at the engine house the other evening was supplement- ed by newcomer, and late acquisition to the Goosetown population. He sat and. listened to the stories of the regulars, some of which contained India rubber enough to make them almost waterproof, at times apparently pleased with his new acquaintance, while again his countenance wore puzzled expression. The conver- sation turned upon the nailers' strike, and one of the visitors remarked, ssThe strikers are under excellent discipline they have been out nine months, and not one has deserted the organization, although rare inducements have been offered to individ- uals to accept situations.
 The conversation was carried on in the same train for perhaps ten or fifteen min utes, the newcomer having remained quiet, apparently wondering now the fremen climbed the brass pole to the bedchamber above, when he said
 'Gentlemen, you fellers to-day don't know nothin' bout discipline. can re- member little instance that occurred up at York state when was boy It was long in '33 or '34. There was considera- ble of furry in those parts regarding the purposes of secret societies, and it wasn't always policy for member to apprise the public of his connection with the Free Masons or Odd Fellows; but the fact didn't seem to keep either order from in- creasing, and lodge of Odd Fellows had been organized so secretly that the unini. tiated were in perfect ignorance of it's ex istence. They had secured an unused at tic over a store in an old building and cdn Everted if into hall. Twenty men, all Eheads of families with one exoeeptiOn, formed the membership of the new lodge. The sessions were generally held after the villagers had retired to their alumbera. One August morning the old storekeepel opened the front door to find the body oi man, who was well known, stretched up on the pavement. A regalia of some kind was lying beside him. An examinaEioi showed that his neck was broken, but as l there was no person ln the place that knew :, the meaning of the paraphernalia found with the body, it was regarded with suspi cion. It was noticed that nineteen men oi the village did not appear at the funeral nor did they ever return. They were mourned for years by as many widows and finally referred to only by the oldest residents, who lived in the hope of one day seeing the mystery solved. Aquartel of century after the finding of the body on the street the old storeroom was. torE l 0OWn CO mako room LOT more COnnmOul ous structure. Workmen were engaged in removing the roof when they discover ed lot of skeletons. It wss at frs thought that the place had been used as { dissecting- room at one time, but investiga ton showed that every skeleton was stil standing erect. the clothing had molded away, and the flesh had been devoured by worms, nothing apparently remaining te explain the circumstance, until book o the proceedings of the lodge was found lying on a box. It was plain enougE then the lodge was about to close, wher the presiding officer had accidentally faller backward through the open windSw in tht gable-it was he that had been found' oI the pavement years before; the nineteet grinning skeletons represented the mem bers still waiting for the gavel to fall, no having noticed the accident. They were martyrs to discipline, gentlemen, said ths newcomer, as he spat out a huge quid o tobacco, and started for home.
 The regulars are deliberating as to tho wisdom of allowing the aged liar to be come one of their number, with the chances about even in his favor. = PittsbarS Chronicle Telegraph. ta